Social Media Manager

ROLE: SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER TEAM: THE KITCHEN NORTH AMERICA LOCATION: CHICAGO (HYBRID) Company Overview The Kitchen brings together a range of disciplines and capabilities. It’s a team of creatives, producers, data analysts and social experts working together to deliver remarkable ideas that live in a variety of mediums, from social to TV. This team moves at the speed of culture, responding to trends and events as they happen and creating ideas that transcend social media to capture the spirit of the moment, earn media impressions, and get the country talking. Are you ready to join an award‑ambitious team making waves in the advertising industry? Our incredible team has been recognized internationally by industry giants like Cannes, One Show and was named Campaign's Global “In‑House Agency of The Year,” further solidifying our position as a leader in the industry. Join us and be part of something truly special, a team dedicated to ground‑breaking work and pushing limits. At The Kitchen, we’re not just looking for individuals who want to be part of the advertising industry; we’re looking for trailblazers ready to lead the way to the next big thing. We want individuals passionate about producing award‑winning work, with an innate drive for their craft, eager to generate innovative ideas both within and outside of the brief. Role Overview As a Social Media Manager in The Kitchen, you are a platform expert. You use your knowledge of social media and the audiences that engage online to ensure our brands create work for the right channels, platforms, and moments. You keep your finger on the pulse of online conversations to identify reactive social opportunities that fit each brand’s values and personality. You understand each brand’s seasonality and passion points to make proactive social content recommendations. You work with the Social Media Strategist to ensure a well‑thought‑out purpose, strategy, and tone for our social media presence. For the right candidate, this job offers the best of all worlds – a chance to work with incredible brands at a world‑class company, to be an active contributor of ideas in a creative culture, to grow your social strategy skills within a collaborative team, and to create timely stories for timeless brands with opportunities that will inspire you. Core Responsibilities Social strategy: Create briefs and content kick‑off documents in partnership with strategy, media and creative partners. Social playbook ownership: Collaborate in the creation of, and own the day‑to‑day use and refinement of your brand’s social playbook. Social planning: Create and maintain social media content calendars based on the brand’s relevant passion points and cultural moments. Deployment: Upload legally‑approved content to social channels and support the trafficking process. Community management: Work with the social writer to oversee the brand’s social channels for strategic communications opportunities, reviewing inbound comments, questions and risks. Social insights: Complete social media audits and competitive reports to help brands stay ahead of competitors. Media integration: Work with our media partners (P57) to own the paid‑media relationship for your brand(s) and recommend media optimizations as necessary, synthesizing media data into actionable insights for future briefings. Social media expertise: Act as a platform expert, ensuring creatives, strategists and brand partners understand how to operate in a constantly changing social media landscape, trends and memes. Collaborate with creative to ensure best‑in‑class, platform‑appropriate produce. Reporting: Collaborate with the insights partner to create insightful and actionable social media reports. Experience & Skills 3+ years of experience in community management, social strategy, or a related creative department. Proven track record of managing brands with a significant following, ideally for a CPG or lifestyle brand. University or college diploma in marketing, advertising or a related field preferred. History of working with creative teams and strategists, providing expertise and influencing the brand’s online strategy. Proficient in creating presentations (PowerPoint or Keynote); experience with insights tools and services, and social listening experience considered an asset. Love and deep understanding of social culture, memes, and trends. Experience with a social media management platform (e.g., Sprout Social) required. Excellent presentation and communication skills in a group environment. Passion for food and food marketing. Commitment to Diversity The Kitchen, Kraft Heinz, and are committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting and retaining the most qualified employees regardless of race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age or disability. Pay Transparency Statement (Base Salary Only) The anticipated annual base salary range for this position is $90,000–$105,000. Individual compensation within this range is determined based on job‑related factors such as experience, skills, level of responsibility, internal equity, and business needs. This range represents the expected base salary for this role and does not include other elements of The Kitchen’s total rewards program. #J-18808-Ljbffr